Vehicle for transporting concrete



Nov. 14, 1961 M F. KEMPER 3,008,432

VEHICLE FOR TRANSPORTING CONCRETE Filed March 27, 19,53 2 Sheets-Sheet.1

5 INVENTOR.

MAXWELL E EEMPEQ,

Ar roe/way.

Nov. 14, 1961 M. F. KEMPER 3,00

VEHICLE FOR TRANSPORTING CONCRETE Filed March 27, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2jy p 5.

' I IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII'IIIIIIIIIIIII I 11 I'll! II'IIIIA mum mmPatented Nov. I4, 1961 3,008,432 VEHICLE FQR TRANSPORTING CONCRETEMaxwell F. Kemper, 3701 Overland Ave,

Los Angeles 34, Calif. Filed Mar. 27, H53, Ser. No. 344,953 13 Claims.($1. 105180) This invention relates to vehicles for conveying concreteand more particularly to cars known as placers for transporting concreteinto tunnels to be lined with concrete.

Placers for this purpose are shown in my United States Letters PatentNumbers 2,313,826, issued March 16, 1943; 2,534,270, issued December 19,1950; and 2,565,029, issued August 21, 1951.

In the use of these placers a train thereofloaded with concrete is runon tracks into the tunnel Where the placers are unloaded by successivelyconnecting them with a conduit through which the concrete is forced bycompressed air to the lining forms.

The tracks on which the placers are moved, particularly the tracks inthe tunnels, are temporary and in many places are not level.Consequently, the placers during transit over such tracks are subjectedto tilting and vibratory movements causing agitation of the fluentconcrete carried thereby. This agitation is objectionable as it tends tocause segregation of the components of the concrete.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a vehicle suchas described, which may be advanced over uneven track without causingobjectionable tilting of the vessel thereon containing the concrete andconsequent segregation of the components of the concrete.

It is another object of this invention to provide a carrier or placersuch as described which readily lends itself to being quickly and easilycoupled to the concrete dis charge conduit and compressed air supplylines regardless of being tilted sidewise, forwardly or rearwardly, orthe coupling unit thereon being disposed at difiierent levels as aresult of variational loading of the placers.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a placer such asdescribed which has an exceptionally low center of gravity, therebylessening the tilting and agitating moment and making it possible toprovide thereon a large capacity concrete carrying vessel whereby theplacer is adapted for efiicient use in small bore tunnels.

It is an additional object of this invention to provide in a placer suchas described a novel spring suspension arrangement for a concretecarrying vessel, which minimizes tilting of the vessel and agitation ofthe concrete as well as contributes to the other advantages of thisinvention herein set forth.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel construction ofthe truck unit of a placer such as described which eliminates the use ofaxles extending across the carrier, makes possible a low disposition ofthe vessel and associated parts, and provides for independent verticalyielding movement of the wheels on the respective sides of the truckunit to compensate for uneven track and reduce objectionable tilting ofthe carrier.

It is another object of this invention to provide a novel running gearfor a placer such as described, wherein a pair of truck units eachhaving a pair of wheels for engaging but one of the two rails of thetrack, are independently spring mounted, whereby each unit is subject toa fore and aft rocking movement as Well as a bodily movement verticallyrelative to the other pair, to compensate for irregularities in thetrack and prevent objectionable jolting and tilting of the concretecarrying vessel.

This invention possesses many other advantages and has other objectswhich may be made more easily apparent from a consideration of oneembodiment of the invention. For this purpose there is shown one form inthe drawings accompanying and forming part of the present specification.This form will now be described in detail, illustrating the generalprinciples of the invention;

but it is to be understood that this detailed descriptionis not to betaken in a limiting sense, since the scope of the invention is bestdefined by the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation, partially in section, of a placer embodyingthe present invention;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view, taken substan tially on theline 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view, taken on the line 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view, taken on the line 4--4 of FIG.2;

FIG. 5 is a transverse sectional view, taken on the line 55 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional View, on an enlarged scale, taken onthe line 66 of FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view, taken on the line 7-7 of FIG. 6.

As shown in the accompanying drawings, a concrete carrier or placerembodying the present invention generally comprises a frame 8 mounted onfront and rear wheels 9 adapted to be run on the rails of a track 10,such for example as maybe laid in a tunnel to be lined with concrete.The frame 8 supports a vessel or container in the form of a hopper 11adapted to contain concrete for delivery under air pres-sure through aconduit 12 to the point where the concrete is to be poured. The conduit12 is adapted to be detachably coupled to the placers whereby successiveplacers of a train thereof may be coupled to the conduit.

It is desired that the carrier be capable of movement over uneven orirregular track without being jolted and tilted to the extent that theresultant agitation will cause segregation of the components of theconcrete.

It is also desired that the carrier be constructed of low height butwith a large capacity for carrying concrete whereby the carrier may beefficiently used in small bore tunnels.

Accordingly, the placer of this invention is constructed to minimizejolting, tilting and agitation of the concrete during conveyance thereofand to provide a larger than usual concrete capacity in a placer of lowheight adapted for operation in small bore tunnels.

As here shown, the frame 8 supporting the hopper 11 is mounted on a pairof identical truck units 14. These truck units are mounted so that eachis yieldable relative to the other and with respect to the frame in agenerally vertical direction to prevent jolting, tiling and vibratorymovements of the hopper such as would cause agitation and separation ofcomponents of the concrete carried in the hopper when moving the carrierover uneven or irregular portions of the track.

Each of the truck units 14 includes an elongated wheelsupporting member15, mounting adjacent the ends thereof a pair of the front and rearwheels 9 for engaging one rail of the track 10.

The weight of the frame 8 and the vessel or hopper 11 is sustained bycoiled springs 16 interposed between the members 15 of the truck units14 and the frame 8 in a manner providing for relative fore and aftrocking movement of the truck units as well as for bodily yieldingmovement thereof in a vertical direction, to prevent such tilting andvibration of the frame 8 and hopper 11 as would cause the aforesaidobjectionall jolting and tilting of the carrier.

The frame 8 is rigid and of open rectangular form, being fabricated ashere shown, of steel plate stock to provide like elongated side members17 rigidly joined at 3 their ends to front and rear end members 18 and18a respectively.

The truck units 14 extend parallel with the side members 17 of the frame8 in inwardly spaced relation thereto, being spaced from one anotheraccording to the gauge of the track, which in the present showing is ofnarrow.

gauge.

The end members 18 and 18a of theframe 8 are provided with pairs ofinwardly extended opposed guide 7 members 19' and 20 welded thereto forvertically slidably confining the ends of the Wheel supporting members15 therebetween and thereby connecting the truck units 14 with the framefor relative vertical movement. The guide members 19 are spaced fromthe'inner sides of the frame members 17 a distance substantially equalto the spacing of the members 19 and 2d of each pair from one another.nation with the side members 17 of the frame 8, constitute meansproviding at each end of the frame, a pair of laterally spaced innerguide pockets 19a formed between the members 19 and 20, as well as apair of outer guide pockets 26a formed between the side members 17 andthe guide members 19. When thecarrier is used on the narrow gauge trackas here shown, the ends of the wheel supporting members are mounted inthe inner guide pockets 19a. For a wider gauge track the outer guidepockets 26a are employed for mounting themembers 15 in the same manneras these members are mounted in the inner pockets 1%.

The wheel supporting member 15 of each track unit is in the form of aninverted channel in which front and rear wheels 9 are mounted on shortaxles 21 journalled between opposed sides of the member 15. Thisarrangement makes it unnecessary to employ axles extending across theframe and providing for the desired low dispositionvof the hopper 11 andthe discharge conduit extending from the lower end of the hopper.Suitable reinforcing webs 22 are welded between opposed sides of eachmember 15 .to strengthen it.

Box-like sockets 23 open at their upper ends are formed at the ends ofthe members 15 in any suitable manner for. ,receptionof the springs 16.These springs extend upwardly from the sockets 23 between the guideplates 19 and 20, with their upper ends in abutting relation to theunder sides of horizontal flanges 17:: extending inwardly from the upperedges of the side members 17 of the frame 8,:thereby'yieldablysupporting the frame 87 As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the lower ends of thesprings 16 rest upon the bottom walls 23a of the sockets 23, beingcentered in the sockets on a hollow pin 25 fixed to the bottom walls.

T-bolts 26 extend through springs 16 and have their T- heads 26adisposed for limited vertical sliding movement to the hollow pins 25.These bolts extend upwardly through the upper ends of the hollow pins 25through openings affording a clearance suitable to enable limitedangular movement of the bolts. These bolts 26 also extend throughove-rsized openings 27 in the flanges 17a. Nuts 28 are threaded on theupper ends of these bolts so as to contact the upper side of the flanges17a. Protective caps 29 are welded to the nuts 28 and cover the upperendsrof the bolts.- The tension of the springs 16 may be varied byappropriate turning of the caps 29 and the bolts secured thereto. TheT-heads 26a on the bolts engage in vertical slots- 25a formed interiorlyof the pins 25. to prevent turning of the bolts while permit tinglimited vertical movement thereof. In addition, the vertical slots 25aafllord adequate clearance, as seen in FIG. 6, to enable slight angularmovement of the bolts 26. With this arrangement of springs, bolts, andnuts the truck units 14 and frame are connected for limited relativevertical movement-with the clearances between bolt heads 26a and hollowpins 25 and between the shanks of the bolts 26 and the flanges 17aproviding for Thus, the guide members 19 and in combirelative rockingmovement of the truck units in a vertical plane.

The ends of the wheel supporting members 15 of the truck units 14 arespaced from contact with the inner surfaces of the end members 18 and13a and prevented from binding thereagainst incident to rocking movementof the truck units by means of transverse spacer bars 30 welded to themembers 15 and having small rounded surfaces for slidably engaging theend members 18.

The vessel or hopper 11 is provided with an inlet 31 at its upper endsubject to be opened and closed by closure means 32 corresponding to theclosure means claimed in my US. Letters Patent No. 2,565,029.

The lower portion of the hopper 11. is conical and extends between andbeneath the side members 17 of the frame 8. Opposite sides of theconical portion of the hopper are engaged with seat members 34 welded onthe upper sides of the flanges 17a on the side members 17. These seatmembers have arcuate surfaces 35 conforming to the curvature of theconical portion of the hopper and welded thereto.

The discharge opening 36 at the lower end of'the hopper communicates theinterior of the hopper with a pressure chamber 37 formed in a conduit 38secured to the lower end of the hopper as well as to thelend member 18at the front end of the frame 3.

As it is desired to provide a low center of gravity in this placer, thetwo wheel supporting members 15 of the trucks 14 are of reduced heightbetween their ends, 7

as shown in FIG. 4, to accommodate a low disposition of the conicalportion of the hopper 11 with the lower end thereof and the chamber 37below the upper sides of the reduced portions of the members 15 andcentered between the latter as well as between the front and rearwheels.

Concrete carried in the hopper 11 will gravitate into the pressurechamber 37 from which it may be forced by compressed air through adischarge section 38a of the conduit 38 which latter extends through thefront end member 18. The conduit 12. is adapted to be coupled to thedischarge section 38a by means of coupling units 4% and 40a on theconduit 12 and the front end member 18 respectively. for coupling thecarrier with compressed air supply lines 41 and 42.

The compressed air directed through the lines 41 and 42 passes throughnozzles 43 on the coupling unit 40 into an intake chamber 44 which is apart of the coupling unit dtla on the carrier. From the intake chamber44, the air passes through a pipe 45 leading to a manifold 46 at one endof the conduit 38. From this manifold the air is directed through a port47 into the chamber 37. A valve 4-8 normally closed by a spring loadedactuating means 49 is operable to control the volume of air entering thechamber 37. A flap valve 51 in the conduit section 38a is operable toclose the conduit section to prevent escape of concrete before couplingthe conduit 38a to the delivery conduit 12'.

Coupling units 51 and 52 at opposite ends of the frame 8 provide forcoupling the placer to another placer to form a train for movement intoand out of the tunnel.

It will now be apparent that by reason of the construction andarrangement of the frame 8, the springs 16, and

the two independently mounted truck units 14, provision is made for astabilized transportation of a large capacity concrete-carrying vesselor hopper in a placer of low height and low center of gravity, wherebythe tilting moment and agitation of the vessel or hopper are minimizedand segregation of components of the concrete is prevented. Thus, with acarrier embodying the invention, a most eiflcient lining of tunnels withconcrete, particularly tunnels of small bore, may be carried out.

It should be noted that although the vehicle of this invention isparticularly adapted for transporting concrete,

it may be used to advantage for other vehicular purposes.

These coupling units also provide where it is desired to minimizejolting and vibration as provided herewith.

I claim:

1. In a vehicle of the character described: a load supporting frame; apair of opposed wheel-supporting members extending generally in thedirection of travel of the vehicle; wheels mounted on each of said wheelsupporting members; and means operatively connected with said frame andsaid wheel-supporting members mounting said frame on said wheelsupporting members with said wheel-supporting members positioned forindependent bodily movement relative to said frame in a substantiallyvertical plane as well as for independent rocking movement relative tosaid frame in said plane, said means including springs interposedbetween said frame and said wheel supporting members and sustaining theload of said frame.

2. In a vehicle of the character described: a load supporting frame; andmeans for yieldably supporting said frame including a pair of elongatedwheel supporting members; a pair of wheels on each of said members;means mounting each member on said frame for movement in a verticalplane relative to the other member ineluding a pair of springsinterposed between said members and said frame; means for limitingvertical movement of said members relative to said frame; and means foradjusting said last named means to vary the tension of said springs.

3. In a vehicle of the character described: a loadsustaining frame; apair of laterally opposed elongated wheel supporting members extendingin the general direction of movement of the vehicle; a pair of wheels oneach of said members; cooperating means on said frame and each ofsaid'm'embers respectively, maintaining each member and said frameconnected for relatively bodily and rocking movements in a substantiallyvertical plane; and spring means resisting said relative movementsbetween each member and said frame.

4. In a vehicle such as described: a load-supporting frame having a pairof side members and a pair of end members; a pair of elongatedwheel-supporting members substantially parallel with said side membersbetween said end members; said end members and end portions of saidwheel-supporting members being opposed for slidable engagement with oneanother; guide means on said frame embracing portions of said wheelsupporting members for maintaining said frame and wheel supportingmembers connected for relative movement in a substantially verticalplane; a pair of wheels mounted at longitudinally spaced points on eachof'said wheel supporting members; and spring means between each wheelsupporting member and said frame resisting relative movementtherebetween.

5. In a vehicle such as described: a load-supporting frame having a pairof side members and a pair of end members; a pair of elongatedwheel-supporting members substantially parallel with said side membersbetween said end members; said end members and end portions of saidwheel-supporting members being opposed for slidable engagement with oneanother; guide means on said frame engageable with opposite sides ofeach wheel-supporting member for maintaining said frame and wheelsupporting members connected for relative movement in a substantiallyvertical plane; a pair of wheels mounted at longitudinally spaced pointson each of said wheel-supporting members; and springs interposed betweenthe ends of each wheel supporting member and said frame for resistingsaid relative movement between each wheel supporting member and saidframe.

6. In a vehicle such as described: a load supporting frame having a pairof side members and a pair of end members; a pair of elongated wheelsupporting members substantially parallel with said side members betweensaid end members; said end members and end portions of saidwheel-supporting members being opposed for slidable engagement with oneanother; guide means on said frame depending therefrom on opposite sidesof end portions of each wheel-supporting member for maintaining saidframe and each of said wheel supporting members connected for relativemovement in a substantially vertical plane; a pair of wheels mounted atlongitudinally spaced points on each of said wheel supporting members;spring means between eachwheel supporting member and said frameresisting relative movement therebetween; and means for limiting saidrelative movement between each wheel supporting member and said frame.

7. In a vehicle such as described: a load supporting frame having a pairof side members and a pair of end members; a pair of elongated wheelsupporting members substantially parallel with said side members betweensaid end members; guide means on said end members of said frame and theend portions each of said wheel supporting members respectivelyconnecting said frame and each Wheel supporting member for relativemovement in a substantially vertical plane as well as for fore and aftrocking movement of said wheel-supporting members relative to oneanother and said frame; a pair of wheels mounted at longitudinallyspaced points on each of said wheel supporting members; spring meansbetween each wheel supporting member and said frame resisting relativemovement ther'ebetween; means for limiting said relative movementbetween each wheel supporting member and said frame; and means foradjusting said last named means to vary the tension of said springmeans.

8. In a vehicle'such as described: a load supporting frame having a pairof side members and a pair of end members; a pair of elongated wheelsupporting members substantially parallel with said side members betweensaid end members; said end members and end portions of saidwheel-supporting members being opposed for slidable engagement with oneanother; pairs of guide members on said end members slidably engageablewith opposite sides ofsaid wheel supporting members and connecting saidframe and each of said wheel supporting members for relative verticalmovement; a pair of wheels on each wheel supporting member; and springmeans resisting relative movement between said frame and said wheelsupporting members.

9. In a vehicle such as described: a load supporting frame having a pairof side members and a pair of end members; a pair of elongated wheelsupporting members substantially parallel with said side members betweensaid end members; said end members and end portions of saidwheel-supporting members being opposed for slidable engagement with oneanother; pairs of guide members on said end members disposed on oppositesides of end portions of said wheel supporting members for connectingsaid frame and wheel supporting members for relative vertical movement;a pair of wheels on each wheel supporting member; spring retainingpockets in said end portions and springs mounted in said pockets andengaging said frame for supporting the load of said frame.

10. In a vehicle such as described: a load supporting frame having apair of side members and a pair of end members; a pair of elongatedwheel supporting members substantially parallel with said side membersconfined between said end members; pairs of guide members on said endmembers disposed on opposite sides of end portions of said wheelsupporting members; a pair of wheels on each wheel supporting member;and coiled springs having their lower ends mounted on end portions ofsaid wheel supporting members and their upper ends abutting said frameto sustain the load of said frame; said end members, end portions, guidemembers and springs being constructed and arranged so that saidwheel-supporting members are movable vertically and movable with a foreand aft rocking motion relative to one another and said frame.

11. In a vehicle such as described: a load supporting frame having apair of side members and a pair of end members; a pair of elongatedwheel supporting members H substantially parallel with said side membersbetween said bers and their upper ends abutting said frame to sustainthe load of said frame; bolts connected with end portions of said wheelsupporting members; said bolts being slidably extended through saidframe; and nuts on said bolts engageable with said frame for limitingsaid relative movement.

12. In a vehicle such as described: a load supporting frame having apair of side members and a pair of end members; a pair of elongatedwheel supporting members substantially parallel with said side membersbetween said end members; spacer members on said end members hav-' ingrounded surfaces engageable with the ends of said wheel-supportingmembers; pairs of guide members on said end members disposed on oppositesides of end portions of said wheel supporting members and connectingsaid frame and wheel supporting members for relative vertical and foreand aft rocking movement; a pair of Wheels on each wheel supportingmember; coiled springs having their lower ends mounted on end portionsof said wheel supporting members and their upper ends abutting saidframe to sustain the load of said frame; bolts having heads connectedwith said wheel supporting membersfor limited sliding movement; saidbolts being slidably extended through said frame; and nuts on said boltsengageable With said frame for limiting said relative movement.

6.) (J9 13. in a vehicle such as described: a load supporting framehaving a pair of side members and a pair of end members; a pair ofelongated wheel supporting members substantially parallel with said sidemembers between said end members; said endmembers and saidwheel-supporting members having parallel, vertically disposed surfacesopposed to one anothenspacermembers on said surfaces of said end membersslidably engaging said surfaces on said wheel-supporting members; pairsof guide members on said end members disposed on opposite sides of endportions of said wheel supporting members and connecting said frame andwheel supporting members for relative vertical-movement; a pair ofwheels on each wheel sup porting member; sockets on end portions of saidWheel supporting members; coiled springs seated in said sockets andabutting said frame; bolts having their heads secured to said socketsfor limited vertical movement; said bolts extending slidably throughsaid frame; nuts on said bolts engageable with said frame for limitingsaid relative movement.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS-151,267 Birgess May 26, 1874 373,640 Brill Nov. 22, 1887 502,584 RettigAug. 1, 1893 962,465 Quinn June 28, 1910 1,011,219 McKee Dec. 12, 19111,712,747 Clasen May 14, 1929 2,030,553 Tiley Feb. 11, 1936 2,090,736Sample- Aug. 24, 1937 2,478,187 Germain Aug. 9, 1949

